Daimon wasn’t impressed. His patience, already thin, wavered."Is there any period where her records go silent?" His voice was sharp. "Did she disappear for a while? Any accidents? Travel logs?"Ertha hesitated, tapping a few keys. "Uh… that, my lord, I’m not completely sure about—""You have thirty minutes." Daimon's voice left no room for argument. "I want everything on her. No gaps. No missing details. And Ertha—don’t make me call again."Before the assistant could protest, the line went dead.Ertha stared at his phone in horror. Thirty minutes? He needed a miracle. Or five extra hands.Daimon sat in his dimly lit study, fingers drumming on the polished surface of his desk. The room was silent, except for the soft hum of the city outside. His gaze fell upon a drawer—one he hadn’t opened in years. Slowly, he pulled it open, revealing two things: a divorce agreement and a wedding ring.The only thing he had ever bought for Enlyan.Three years of marriage, yet this ring was merely for
Daimon couldn’t sit still any longer. The pieces were coming together too perfectly, the coincidences stacking up in a way that defied logic. His gut screamed at him, urging him forward.He jumped to his feet, throwing on a casual outfit that, despite its effortless appearance, cost thousands. But he barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere—on her.If Iris was truly Enlyan, she wouldn’t admit it easily. But he had to see her.Just once. Even if she denied it, even if she looked him in the eye and called herself a stranger, Daimon needed to know.Even the smallest flicker of familiarity in her gaze would be enough.Daimon strode out of his room, heading straight for the door when a familiar voice interrupted him.“Dad, are you going out?”He turned to see Oasis, his little boy, bright-eyed and smiling as he hopped down from his chair, abandoning his dinner without hesitation.“Oasis, be careful! Don’t touch your dad’s clothes with your hands covered in rice,” Katrina warned, her voice ca
When?When would she finally become the true matriarch of this family?How had things spiraled so far out of her control?She watched Daimon with silent resentment as he turned his full attention to Oasis. That brat.Oasis had all of Daimon’s affection.His gentle gaze, his patience, his time. Things Katrina had been fighting for years to get, yet never received.Oasis, oblivious to Katrina’s growing resentment, happily grabbed Daimon’s hand.“Daddy, let’s go! My classmate must be waiting. He’ll think I was lying if we don’t hurry!”Daimon’s expression softened as he effortlessly lifted the little boy onto his shoulders."Alright, let's go!"Laughter filled the air as father and son walked out the door, leaving Katrina behind.She stood there, still gripping the rag in her hands, watching them go.This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.When they arrived at the kindergarten, Oasis practically jumped out of the car before it even fully stopped.Joxan was already waiting.Oasis threw ope
Joxan, however, only smiled."My mom said that every child is an angel sent by God to the world," he explained gently. "So their origins don’t matter. She also asked me to help orphans as much as I can, which is accumulating virtue for myself."Those words.That exact belief.Daimon felt something stir in his chest.It was as if a ghost from his past had just whispered in his ear.A woman... a silly woman... had once told him something like this before.The thought came instinctively, and before he could stop himself, he asked—"What’s your mother’s name?"The moment the words left his mouth, Daimon realized his mistake.Why did he even ask?Joxan paused for a fraction of a second.Then, just as smoothly, he smiled and replied, "Sir, that’s personal information. Besides, are you dropping me at the orphanage or not? I'm going to be late."Daimon blinked.Did a four-year-old just call him out for being intrusive?Him?It was rare for anyone to speak to him like that—let alone a child.Y
She leaned lazily against the pillows, her posture effortless yet undeniably sensual."A woman who gives birth to your child must love you deeply. And yet, you let her stay in the Blackwood house as an unmarried mother? That’s not exactly honorable, is it?"Her voice was smooth, casual—too casual.Daimon didn’t even glance at her body.His eyes were locked onto hers.Because something about them bothered him.Those eyes—they were different.Where was the jealousy? The heartbreak? The desperate longing?This wasn’t the Enlyan he knew.He had expected anger. Resentment. Pain.But instead, her gaze was empty. Unshaken. Unmoved.It shouldn't be like this.She loved him.She had always loved him.Then why did she look at him like he was nothing but a distant memory?Enlyan met his stare without hesitation.Let him look.Let him search for the woman who used to love him.Because she was gone.The old Enlyan—the foolish, infatuated girl who once worshipped him—had drowned.What stood before
Daimon’s smirk deepened as he watched Enlyan’s growing frustration.“Katrina isn’t my wife. She isn’t even my girlfriend,” he said, voice casual, as if dropping an irrelevant fact. “And that boy—Oasis—isn’t my son. I adopted him.”Enlyan stilled.For a brief second, his words almost sounded convincing.Almost.If she didn’t already know the full story—if she hadn’t seen him standing by Katrina’s side during her pregnancy checkups—she might’ve been fooled.But she wasn’t a fool.Her lips curled into a bitter smile.Liar.The world saw Daimon as an unshakable force, a man of strength and integrity. Yet here he was, spinning an obvious lie without the slightest hesitation.How did I ever fall for a man like this?The thought left a sour taste in her mouth.She refused to entertain it any further.
Enlyan watched him go, surprised by his reaction. She rarely saw Daimon back down so easily. What was that about?Shrugging off the unease, she checked the address Joxan had sent and booked a car.Outside, Daimon was seething.His mood soured further when his phone rang—Katrina."Are you coming back for dinner?" she asked sweetly.Daimon’s patience was thin. "I have things to do. Don’t wait for me."He hung up before she could say more.His gaze flickered back to Enlyan’s house.Without a second thought, he drove to the supermarket, grabbed a few things, and returned to her doorstep.She sighed, already sensing who it was.Sure enough, when she opened it, there stood Daimon—holding bags of groceries.Her patience snapped. "What now?" she asked, exasperated. "What do you want this time?""You're not feeling well, and no one’s here to look after you. Let me cook some
Daimon leaned back in his chair, unbothered by her rage. “It’s for the company’s good. Your reputation might take a hit, but that’s better than the company suffering losses. Do you have any idea how much we’d lose daily if Iris pulled out of the project?”Katrina’s face twisted with frustration, but she had no argument. Still, her hatred toward Iris deepened, marking the beginning of a bitter feud.When Mini saw the news, she immediately called Enlyan. “What’s going on? Why would Daimon suddenly stand up for you?”Enlyan’s response was indifferent. “It doesn’t matter. Don’t concern yourself with it.”Meanwhile, Joxan silently read through Daimon’s statement. He said nothing, but a small part of him felt reassured. At least the man had some conscience left to publicly defend his mother. Otherwise, Joxan would never have forgiven him.Despite the media buz
Mini couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Disappointment seeped into her voice. "You’re really losing it, Enlyan. After everything he did to you, you’re willing to risk it all just to see if he might change? Have you forgotten how he tore you apart before? How many sleepless nights you spent crying over him?"Enlyan closed her eyes briefly, fighting back the memories. "I haven’t forgotten. I just... can’t live my life resenting him forever. The hate consumes me, and it hurts Joxan and Jessica too. Maybe I’m being foolish, but I don’t want to pass on that bitterness to my children. They deserve to have something good, even if it’s just a fleeting moment."Mini scoffed, folding her arms tightly over her chest. "You’re too soft. You always think about giving them what you never had, but not at the cost of your own peace. Don’t you realize that man doesn’t deserve your forgiveness? Or your children’s
Enlyan glanced around the room, noticing someone missing. "Where’s Joxan?" she asked, concern flickering in her eyes.Mini smiled reassuringly as she walked closer. "He’s outside. He’ll come in a while."Just as Daimon reached the door, he nearly bumped into Joxan, who was standing there with a hesitant look on his face."Hello," Joxan greeted him, his tone neither warm nor hostile.Daimon raised an eyebrow, slightly puzzled by the boy’s attitude. "You called me?"Joxan nodded, his gaze steady despite his obvious reluctance."My name is Daimon Blackwood," Daimon replied, keeping his voice calm. "You can call me Daimon or Mr. Blackwood."He couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed by the boy’s bluntness, but at the same time, he didn’t know how to bridge the gap between them. Unlike Oasis, who had been taught by Katrina to be polite and even a little flattering, Joxan was unfiltered and direct.
Meanwhile, at the kindergarten, Joxan stepped into the classroom and instinctively glanced at Oasis’s seat, only to find it empty. A flicker of worry passed through his usually calm eyes.He approached his friend Mike, lowering his voice. "Do you know why Oasis didn’t come today?"Mike hesitated, glancing around before whispering back, "I heard his mom beat him up yesterday. He got a fever in the middle of the night, and his family asked for leave today. They said he still hasn’t woken up."Joxan's hands clenched into fists, and a wave of guilt washed over him. Oasis was beaten and got sick? His mind raced with unease, and he couldn’t focus for the rest of the day.Memories of Oasis running after him flashed through his mind—the boy’s innocent smile and eager steps trying to keep up. Despite being Daimon's son, Oasis never acted spoiled or proud. Joxan bit his lip, realizing that, deep down, he never really hated Oasis himself—just the idea of being connected to Daimon.But now, knowi
Her mind whirled with schemes and calculations. One way or another, she had to find a way to get rid of Iris for good—without leaving any trace that could link back to her.She stomped her foot in irritation, glaring at Oasis, who was still lying unconscious on the bed, his small face flushed with fever.“Useless!” she muttered bitterly. “I went through hell to give birth to you, just so you could live the life of a young master. Yet here you are, lying there doing nothing. Why can’t you think of a way to help your mother for once?”Of course, Oasis didn’t respond—he couldn’t even hear her. And even if he did, he was just a child—too young to grasp her cruel words. Katrina huffed in frustration, wringing her hands as she tried to come up with a plan. She couldn’t let Iris take everything from her.Just then, the door creaked open, and she heard the low murmur of voices outside. Daimon and Ertha had just come out of the study. Forcing a look of concern onto her face, Katrina hurried ov
Ertha paused and shook his head, keeping his tone neutral. "No, nothing about the company, Miss Katrina. I’m just here to see the boss. We’ll talk later." Without giving her a chance to question him further, he quickly moved past her and entered the study.Katrina’s heart pounded with unease as she watched him go. Something wasn’t right—Daimon’s secrecy, the doctor’s vague explanation, and now Ertha’s haste. Her instincts screamed that there was more going on than just Oasis’s health.Katrina's heart pounded as she pressed her ear closer to the study door, straining to catch every word. The hallway was empty, and she knew she was risking a lot by eavesdropping, but curiosity burned inside her.Inside the study, Daimon's voice remained calm but razor-sharp. "So, someone tampered with the car before Iris drove it that day?""Yes, sir," Ertha confirmed. "I reported it to the police. They've started investigating, and a few witnesses mentioned seeing a suspicious figure enter the garage t
Once back at home, Daimon was greeted by Katrina, who rushed toward him with tears streaming down her face. “Daimon, I didn’t mean it. I just wanted to punish Oasis a little. I didn’t think he’d be so stubborn. I’m sorry. I really am. It’s my fault.”Her tears and frantic apology irritated Daimon, but he tried to keep his composure. “I know you acted out of concern. How is Oasis? Has he seen the family doctor yet?”“He’s still being examined,” Katrina replied, her voice trembling. Her red eyes showed genuine worry, but Daimon was too focused on the situation to respond with much sympathy. He walked briskly toward Oasis’s room with Katrina trailing behind him.Inside, Oasis lay on the bed, his face flushed with fever. He mumbled weakly, "Cold..." Daimon’s heart tightened at the sight. He placed his hand on the boy’s forehead, feeling the heat radiating off him.“In the future, don’t touch the child like that again,” Daimon muttered sternly to Katrina.Katrina’s face crumpled, and she w
His words, while thoughtful, still left her feeling flustered. "I told you, I don’t need you! Why can’t you just listen to me?" Before she could finish, Daimon scooped her up effortlessly and, without another word, placed her back on the bed."If you're tired, you can rest. And if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m not going anywhere," Daimon said, his tone firm yet oddly considerate. He then sat down on the nearby sofa, opening her laptop and diving into his work.Enlyan lay there, feeling too embarrassed to speak as he conducted a video conference.She felt like an outsider in her own room as he casually dealt with business matters, as though she wasn’t there. But what truly surprised her was how little Daimon seemed to care about her presence. His work was on full display in front of her, with no attempt to hide the company’s struggles."Sir, the company’s confidential files have been leaked. The damage is already done, and the immediate loss is 300 million. What should
Enlyan watched the exchange quietly, her heart sinking further. She sneered bitterly to herself, the bitterness weighing heavily on her chest."See?" she thought. "This is the man you once loved with everything you had. This is the father of your daughter."Her eyes narrowed as she reflected on the contrast of Daimon's reaction to Oasis's fever. He was nervous, yes, but not in the way a parent should be. It was a far cry from the kind of care he would’ve shown if it were another child—perhaps Katrina's.How could he be so indifferent to the life and death of his own flesh and blood? Even if he did care, could he truly be as worried as he would be for someone else's child?She shook her head slightly, her thoughts spiraling with the realization that the man before her—who had once been everything to her—could never be the father she had hoped for their child.The realization left her feeling hollow and betrayed."What happened to Oasis?" Daimon demanded, his voice low and full of fury.
Enlyan scoffed bitterly, but tears prickled at the corners of her eyes. The realization hit her hard—loving him had always been a losing battle. She had loved him with everything she had, yet he had never once looked at her the same way.Even if he was good to her now, it was only because of her status and what she could offer him professionally. Men like Daimon were practical and realistic—love had nothing to do with it.A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she wiped away her tears, forcing herself to regain her composure.She whispered to herself, "Never again."Enlyan wiped the tears from her cheeks and picked up her phone, turning it back on. The screen lit up, and she hesitated for a moment before dialing Austin’s number. He answered almost immediately.“Iris, did he give you a hard time?” Austin’s voice was tense with concern.“No,” Enlyan replied softly, trying to keep her voice steady. “To him, I’m just a stranger now.”Austin let out a sigh of relief, a faint smile in his tone.